Dogville - 8/10
This is a hard film to process and it would be better if I had the opportunity to view it a second time to accurately put together my thoughts on it. I think it has moments of brilliance, bolstered by two amazing lead performances by Nicole Kidman and Paul Bettany. It is a stronger political allegory than The Village, but I don't think I was fully able to comprehend the message of the film. Is it an attack on the lower class? Society as a whole? America? Many say the latter but I see more of the middle question in it. It is a provocative study on the nature of goodness and the way those who might appear to be good can manipulate goodness and expose their true nature. Perhaps I should mention it is three hours long and shot entirely on a soundstage with minimal props and chalk outlines showing where buildings and Dogville's dog are. It gives it all a theatre feeling. (That's theatre with an RE, not ER.) I didn't find this at all distracting, and it gives the film some beautiful moments even without lush scenery to enhance it. The lighting of the stage is particularly stunning, especially towards the end. The end is quite shocking and may polarize those who thought there was any chance of a happy ending. In addition the great Kidman and Bettany, there is a talented supporting cast including Patricia Clarkson, Chloe Sevigny, Ben Gazarra, James Caan and Phillip Baker Hall. The actors all seem to be in a trance which adds to the feel of the film. I wish you all would see this so I could discuss it more, because that is what this film wants you to do. Dogville is the first of a planned trilogy. The second installment, Manderlay, began filming earlier this summer with The Village's Bryce Dallas Howard taking over for Nicole Kidman.
Open Water - 7/10
While it never quite acheives the level of terror as its obvious influences - Jaws and The Blair Witch Project - it succeeds in its own way of creating an intense sitation. Daniel Travis and Blanchard Ryan (Charlize Theron doppleganger) play the two stranded scuba divers left behind after some asshole confused the tour guide. (Quick moral to extract from the story: don't be an asshole or people will be left behind with sharks.) At first, they deal lightly with the situation, only slightly panicked. They banter like a couple and even play six degrees of seperation. The majority of their first hours in the water yield surprisingly effective humor that breaks the tension. Sharks begin showing their fins just yards away. After hours have passed, they panick and begin yelling at each other. The two actors are quite good in their parts and I think any couple could easily relate. It is not really a horror film, more of an intense drama with several thrilling scenes. One of those is the thunderstorm sequence, which takes full advantage of the film's digital video filming. The score at first seems very odd and inappropriate, but once the ending rolls around, I thought it added beautifully to the film's last shot. This film has a perfect ending. I can honestly say I would have done exactly the same thing. (I'm being vague to encourage you to not listen to what you heard about the film and go see it.) I've stated to several people that I find the synopsis for the film very terrifying, but I don't think the film does enough with the whole "left alone" theme. It seems very claustrophobic, which it shouldn't considering how huge the ocean is that they are lost in.
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